Two former Parramatta Eels players are accused of harbouring semi-automatic weapons and possessing more than half-a-million dollars in cash after dramatic arrests in Sydney's Centennial Park yesterday.

Aust warship makes big heroin haul

Australian warship HMAS Darwin has seized almost a tonne of heroin worth an estimated $800 million in a series of high seas drug busts off the coast of Africa.

HMAS Darwin intercepted the first smuggling boat on May 21, discovering 380kg of heroin.

The ship's helicopter spotted two further suspicious vessels which were intercepted on May 22 and 25, with 512kg of heroin found on one and 60kg on the other.

Under Australian policy, seized drugs are analysed, weighed then disposed of by being dumped back in the sea.

These drugs originate in Pakistan and Afghanistan and follow ancient ocean smuggling routes to Africa known as the "hash highway" and the "smack track," eventually reaching Europe.

Traditionally, drugs from this part of the world passed through central Asia and Iran to reach Europe.

But conflict in Syria and Iraq and better law enforcement has forced greater use of the Africa smuggling route, demonstrated by a succession of very large drug seizures by Australian and other warships in seas off eastern Africa.

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Commander of defence force joint operations Vice Admiral David Johnston said these latest seizures took the navy's drug haul to more than four tonnes in just under two years.

Darwin commanding officer Commander Phillip Henry said the best part of these operations was that they removed funding from terrorist organisations.

"Traffickers constantly try to find new ways to hide cargo, but our boarding parties' training, techniques and equipment evolve and we continue to find and dispose of seriously large quantities of illicit goods," he said in a statement.

HMAS Darwin, on her seventh deployment to the Middle East, is operating under the UK-led Combined Task Force 150 which is responsible for conducting counter-terrorism and maritime security operations.